PROVO, UT - SEPTEMBER 7: Fans are trapped in a torrential rain downpour before the game against BYU Cougars and the Texas Longhorns at an NCAA football game on September 7, 2013 at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah. The game has been temporally postponed. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)

PROVO, Utah — On the quick bus ride over to the stadium, Taysom Hill envisioned big holes
opening up in front of him.

Not this huge, of course. This almost defied imagination.

Hill led a big night on the ground for BYU, rushing for 259 yards
— second-most in school history — and three touchdowns to help the Cougars beat
up No. 15 Texas 40-21 on Saturday night.

The sophomore QB was masterful in guiding the team’s new
read-option offense as the Cougars (1-1) rolled up 550 yards rushing, eclipsing
a 55-year-old team record. It was also the most yards rushing Texas (1-1) has
ever allowed, and brought back memories of last season’s myriad defensive
failures by the Longhorns.

“We expected to, yeah, run on them,” Hill said. “But we didn’t
expect to break the school record. It was working and we were able to move the
ball really efficiently on the ground. There was no need to go away from it. So,
we didn’t.”

The elusive Hill scored on runs of 68, 20 and 26 yards. His
68-yard scamper was the longest ever by a Cougars QB, surpassing other
distinguished BYU luminaries such as Jim McMahon and Steve Young.

Hill’s 259 yards rushing also were the most by a QB since former
Texas great Vince Young had 267 in 2005.

“Anytime that you can be thrown into a category with those guys,
it’s quite an honor,” Hill said. “I feel very honored.”

Hill even came close to breaking BYU’s single-game rushing record
of 272 yards, a mark set by quarterback Eldon Fortie in 1962. He thinks he
could’ve, too, but coach Bronco Mendenhall told him to take it easy on BYU’s
final drive of the game, not risk any sort of injury. Following orders, Hill
slid down when defenders got close to him.

“There at the end, there was some opportunities where I could’ve
pulled it and ran,” Hill said. “But there was no need and I’m not trying to pad
a stat. The only stat I’m trying to get is a win.”

Jamaal Williams had a career-high 182 yards and Paul Lasike added
87 along with a score.

David Ash threw two TD passes to Mike Davis and Joe Bergeron had
a short TD for Texas. The Longhorns set a school-record with 715 yards of
offense last weekend in a blowout win over New Mexico State. They gained 445
against a stingy BYU defense that was one of the best in the nation last season.

“We didn’t get done what we needed to do on either side of the
ball,” Texas coach Mack Brown said. “They’re smart. They get it. They understand
that we didn’t get our job done as players or coaches.”

The teams had to wait out a lengthy weather delay after a storm
rolled through the area, complete with a gusty wind and violent rain. When
lightning began to flash near the stadium, the kickoff was pushed back 1 hour,
47 minutes.

It’s the second straight game BYU had to wait out a lengthy
delay.

Hill and the Cougars came out of the locker room ready to go to
work, taking the opening drive and marching down the field, before stalling out
and settling for a field goal.

He was just warming up. So effective was Hill with his legs that
he had 166 yards rushing at halftime.

When Texas tried to focus on the run to start the second half,
Hill simply turned to the air, throwing a few down the field to keep the
Longhorns honest. He finished 9 of 26 for 129 yards. He also threw an
interception.

After a 19-16 loss at Virginia to open the season, the Cougars
shuffled around their offensive line. It seemed to do the trick, paving the way
for BYU’s rushing attack. The previous record for most yards rushing in a game
was 465 against Montana in 1958.

That total was eclipsed on Williams’ 34-yard run in the third
quarter that led to a 24-yard field goal from Justin Sorensen — his fourth of
the night — to make it a 40-21 game.

The defense certainly did its part, too, thwarting the Longhorns
three times on fourth down in the final quarter.

BYU receiver Cody Hoffman was back on the field after missing
last week with a hamstring injury. He had two catches to move closer to Dennis
Pitta’s team record for most career receptions.

The loss snapped the Longhorns’ streak of 13 straight wins
against nonconference opponents. Texas’ speedy Daje Johnson hurt his left ankle
in the first half and only had two carries for 4 yards.

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